She'll Be Loved
by the flying sparks
Summary: Chapter 4! All of the time, Erik had always thought he would would be that way forever: Indifferent, careless, logical, and pragmatic type of person. However, everything had changed when his ever present stoic and flat expression cracked a few seconds as his blue eyes accidentally met a pair of bright violet ones in the front yard of their own house. NorBela. RnR onnegai? :)
1. Part I-1

So, this is my second attempt writing fic in English which is not my native language. Thank you so much for **CaraLee934** who's kind enough to help me and beta-read this fic. I'm very grateful. And I'd like to say thank you as well to **smoking tulips **for giving me so much new insights about Norway. The name 'Erik Sørensen' for Norway in this fic is also inspired by her as well :)

As you may have noticed, this is a NorwayBelarus fic. I just love them so much and think that there are not enough fics of them in FFn. So I decided to contribute one :) Oh yeah, fyi, this fic is inspired by **She Will Be Loved** of Maroon 5. Idk, I just think that that song represents this pairing in so many ways. So… I recommend you to listen to that song while reading this heheh.

Happy reading.

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**Hetalia Axis Powers © Hidekaz Himaruya**

**This story's based on, She Will Be Loved © Maroon 5**

**And,**

**Fall For You © Secondhand Serenade**

**Warning: **(Might be) OoC (But I'll try my best to keep the characters as canon as possible), bad and curse words.

**Pairing: **ErikNatalia (NorwayBelarus), one-sided IvaNatalia, one-sided AmeBel, slight RussiaVietnam.

**Note: **Erik Sørensen = Norway, Natalia Arlovskaya = Belarus, Ivan Braginski = Rusia, Alfred Jones = USA, Emil Steillson = Iceland, Matthias Kohler = Denmark, Tiino = Finland, Berwald = Sweden, Katyusha = Ukraine.

**I've gained no commercial advantages by publishing this fic.**

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The sky looked so bright and blue. The clouds like white cottons floating in the air. The summer air was a little warm, but even so, Erik Sørensen didn't feel like moving from the chair he had occupied for nearly half an hour, in order to enjoy the sunny and warm weather.

The words and numbers listed in his physics book had been his center of attention in those past few minutes. The gaze of that pair of dull blue eyes looked flat, as usual—was not a strange thing though—when those eyes moved left-to-right, reading the book. It was holiday and strangely yet thankfully, he was the only one at home since the house's other occupants were spending their time outside, allowing him to enjoy a rare quiet and peaceful times in home. Where they had gone, Erik didn't really know or care. He was type of person who really liked peaceful and quiet times and really, would like them much more especially when that hyperactive Matthias Kohler was not anywhere near him.

The summer breeze blew softly into the room through the open window. Light blue curtains were hanging there, swaying slightly because of the gentle wind. It might be because his mind was already tired from having been busy with Physic theories and formulas, he directed his always-bored-and-flat gaze to the window.

Staring out of the window a little longer than he should.

More precisely, he stared at the building right next to his own house.

Averting his gaze from the building, Erik tried to go back to studying, but his mind seemed to be somewhere else and he felt like a fool since he couldn't get his brain to focus enough to even spell the words in his book. Feeling frustrated with himself for easily losing concentration, the blond-haired boy put aside his pen before getting out of the chair.

Walking to and then leaning on the railing of the balcony of his room, his eyes returned to the house in front of him.

Not an unusual house-one might even say that there was nothing special about it. It was just an average house with two floors. The wall was white with a dark brown roof. The wide front and back yards might be the only things attractive about that house.

Therefore, the house was not actually the reason interesting enough to make Erik stare at it. The building was not the reason that often got that boy to spend his pretty much time standing on his balcony: like a fool with nothing else to do.

The reason was her, one of the occupants in the house right beside his own. Her, the occupant of the room which was located right in front of his room window. She was the reason why Erik had spent many nights just looking at that room. Her room.

Looking—just looking at her window.

Although he knew very well that his gaze would not collide with those bright violet ones' eyes, for even just a second.

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Recently, Erik didn't understand himself—he was hardly able to even understand what had been happening.

He was guy known by the nicknames 'Ice Prince' or 'Stoic Guy' or even 'Creep'. Not only his school friends, but also the members of his family knew and called him those. There was nothing wrong about it, Erik always admitted. It's not like he had gotten those nicknames without reason though. Erik knew very well, that he was indeed the type of person to be called ice, robot, stoic boy, creep, and the likes. The ever present expression of his that was as flat as wall, as empty as outer space, was one of the main reasons that nobody wondered about those nicknames of his.

He was also the type of person always relied on logic. He understood enough not to deal with others' matters that did not concern him at all. Some called and saw him as a pragmatic or self-conscious person, but it was just because Erik could not find any logical reasons in involving himself in things that did not benefit him. That was the reason why most of his friends regarded him as 'self-concerned pragmatic guy' or other stereotypes which meant that nothing could ever beat the importance of logic in every of his actions and thoughts.

All of the time, Erik had always thought he would stay that way—he would be that way forever. Indifferent, careless, logical, pragmatic, and not-give-a-damn-about-your-business type of person.

However, everything had changed the day he found that there were new neighbors moving into the empty house next door.

The change had been there, slow, but Erik was able to feel it. It was when his ever present stoic and flat expression cracked a few seconds as his blue eyes accidentally met a pair of bright violet ones in the front yard of their own house.

The second that happened, Erik already knew that he might not always be able to retain that "Prince Stoic" title of his.

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Natalia Arlovskaya. That was her name he learned when he found out a week later that there was a new student in his class.

Of course he was shocked, to find that his new neighbor - even if they had never met or even said "Hi," let alone talked to each other - became his classmate.

The girl he first saw in the yard a week ago, was going to be in the same class as him.

Once again, Erik has always been pragmatic and logical. He would not bother to care about things that were not favorable to him. He would really not care, at all, about little things completely unrelated to him.

Then why did his stoic and flat expression turn into shock when he saw Natalia as his new classmate?

Why did he pay rapt attention to each word she softly said for her self-introductions?

Why could he not tell his brain to make his eyes stop staring at the figure there in front of the blackboard?

Staring at those long platinum strands. Noticing how tall she was. Staring at her pointed nose, the lips that looked so thin and soft…

And those bright violet eyes had such a cold gaze, yet Erik needed a full three seconds to realize that he was staring at them a little longer than he should.

Why did he do all of this? Paying attention and listening to her words would not give any advantages to him, Would it?

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Stepping out the back door of his house, Erik carried a small box that he intended to dispose in disposal back of his house. He couldn't help but blamed Matthias Kohler for having forgotten, or pretending as if he had forgotten, to clean up the remnants of the party which he held in house the night before along with his club mates from school. Whatever it was the party was held for, Erik didn't care much. He hadn't even thought about joining them, instead going to the city library for not only to study for his upcoming exams, but also for because he was afraid that his eardrums might have burst had he stayed at home that night through the party.

And Matthias had gone out, somewhere, once he woke and got over of his stupid hangover, without showing the slightest care in the world for the scattered trash in the living room where the party was held the night before.

And yeah, Erik hated to find he had to be the one cleaning up all those things as Tiino and Berwald were not home and Emil was just Emil—that boy never cared much about anything. As revenge for this injustice, Erik took along two bottles of Matthias' beer to dispose them as well in the trash can. He deserved it.

Once in the backyard, Erik threw the box into the medium sized trash can that was there. He wrinkled his nose slightly when he had a whiff of the smell- whatever in the world was in the trash can, for crying out loud!

"I just want to go, Natalia, _da_? Just for a minute."

His blond head turned toward the source of the voice he had just heard. The impassive gaze of his dull blue eyes was immediately directed at the platinum-haired man who was walking through the back door of his neighbor's house. He seemed to be in a hurry, judging not only in his step, but also in the way he was trying to put on his pale brown coat quickly.

Erik saw a young girl who was also walking right behind the man.

Natalia Arlovskaya.

"I'm going with you as well, Brother. I just want to come along!" Natalia's voice sounded calm.

Erik could notice the worried expression mingled with exasperation from the big tall man.

'Brother'? He was Natalia's brother?

"No, Nat. You do not need to. It is not an important matter and will not take too long. I will be right back."

"If that's the case, why can't I go, Brother?"

"You just stay home and keep Katyusha company, alright?"

"Katyusha is old and mature enough to be alone just fine," as she said this, her hand grabbed his arm with a strong grip that looked as if she was not going to let him go no matter what.

Erik could see the frustration was slowly and increasingly becoming obvious in the face of the young man.

"Nat, let go, okay?" The young man removed Natalia grip from his arm rather forcibly. And he did it again when Natalia managed to repeat her action, "What do you want from me if you let me go now?"

Erik instantly believed that the young man had just felt hopeless and almost succumbed to the will of Natalia who actually seemed to be a stubborn person. Erik saw Natalia seemed to be thinking, before the girl said, quite firmly in a monotone voice.

"This weekend... you should not go anywhere out if you are not with me."

"What—"

"I will not let you go if you do not promise."

" ... Alright."

Just that word of agreement put an end to all of that. The man turned and started walking away the second Natalia let go of his arm.

That was when Erik noticed the sadness not only in the platinum-haired girl's expression, but also in the way her eyes kept staring at the back of the man who was walking away from her.

Erik turned his attention to what Natalia was looking at—the well-build back in brown coat that was already far away.

And without him knowing it, his lips curved downward and his eyes narrowed slightly.

Whoever the man was, Erik decided then and there that, for some reasons he couldn't decipher, he did not like him.

No matter who the man was.

-tbc-

So… review please? I'd appreciate it very much.

Thank you.


	2. Part I-2

**Sorry for the late update. Thank you so much for CaraLee934, my dear beta reader! Also, I want to thank readers!**

**Well then, enjoy!**

**Hetalia Axis Powers © Hidekaz Himaruya**

This story's based on**, She Will Be Loved © Maroon 5**

And,

**Fall For You © Secondhand Serenade**

**Warning: **(Maybe) OoC (I'll try my best to make the characters as canon as possible), verbal abuse, _hints_ _slash_.

**Pairing: **ErikNatalia (NorwayBelarus), one-sided IvaNatalia, AmeBel, _slight _RussiaChina

**Note: **Erik Sørensen = Norway, Natalia Arlovskaya = Belarus, Ivan Braginski = Rusia, Alfred Jones = USA, Emil Steillson = Iceland, Matthias Kohler = Denmark, Tiino = Finland, Berwald = Sweden, Wang Yao = China, Katyusha = Ukraine.

**I gain no commercial advantage from publishing this fic.**

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It had been three weeks since the first time Erik saw Natalia in the front yard of her house. It had been two weeks since the first time Natalia appeared in his class as a new student—his new classmate.

They were in the same class, under the same roof.

But they had hardly had their eyes met in one gaze, let alone talked.

Still, it was not as if Erik had had anything in him to restrain himself not to take a short glance once in a while to the platinum-haired girl sitting quietly just two rows from him there.

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It had been exactly one month before when Erik had seen her for the first time. Recently, Erik just learned that he was not the only person Natalia would always shoot her piercing glare at every time their gazes accidentally met. It had been not too long ago Erik found that almost all people regarded Natalia as an arrogant and anti-social girl with her always present cold expression. Her gaze beat even Erik's creepiness.

It was not just once or twice Erik had seen her spending her time in class alone. It was most of the time. Every time the teacher instructed the students to make working groups or partner, there was nobody who wanted (or had enough guts) to ask her to join them—and Natalia never made any efforts to. The teacher would finally be the one to settle things, telling a group to add Natalia as a member.

It was also not a rare thing for Erik to find Natalia spending her lunch time at school doing one of three things: staying silently alone in class, being in the school library (even though she just slept there—Erik ever saw it), or having her lunch in the school cafeteria, alone, and quietly.

It was not a wonder that almost all of the students in school equalized Natalia with a death god. That cold expression and intimidating gaze of hers never failed in making people want to avoid any chances of being near her. It was always hard to maintain eye contact with those cold violet eyes—let alone to speak normally without stuttering.

Yet, Erik often thought that Natalia didn't care for about that, at all.

Erik was also pretty sure that she would not care in the slightest for the fact that, despite all the unsympathetic attitudes people gave her, there was one person who always looked at her. Always silently paid attention to her.

She certainly did not and would not care.

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Thirty four days had passed since the first time Erik had seen her.

He was on his way home from the nearby store that evening, carrying all the things he had bought for dinner. Emil was supposed to do this, but Erik had no idea why that three-years-younger-than-him boy was not home yet from school.

His steps stopped the moment he directed his gaze at a certain spot in front of him.

He saw her there—Natalia.

She was walking as well, just from the opposite direction. She looked as if she was currently deep in thought about something. Her expression was as if her mind was elsewhere, as if her soul had left her body.

However, when their gazes accidentally met, Erik said the word—his very _first _word for her in thirty four days he knew her.

"Hi."

Yet, it seemed the word had no meaning at all because Natalia quickly averted her gaze before turning away and making her way to her house.

Just like that, she ended their really short contact.

In the same time, she let his _first _word to her forever gone in air.

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"Man… don't you think she looks so freaking scary? I heard that few days ago, she choked one of my friends, Toris, just because he gave her a concert ticket and asked her to go with him!" Matthias said in school cafeteria that lunch period. He was having his lunch along with his best friends who were also his family. Of course Emil was not there at the moment because the boy just started as a second year junior high student at other school.

Matthias, Erik, Tiino, and Berwald turned their heads to the subject of their conversation which was a light-haired girl sitting in the corner and quietly having her lunch which appeared to be a sandwich and a glass of liquid that looked like apple juice.

Like always, she was alone.

"Isn't she Ivan Braginski's sister?" Tiino mumbled quietly while taking a glance to Natalia once in a while, "Ivan sure is scary, though. I always regret the times when I had to deal with him."

"Like brother, like sister," Matthias snorted—Erik unconsciously curved his lips slightly downward, "Anti-social, psycho-looking, freak girl—"

"Shut up, idiot!" Erik muttered quietly. He gave Matthias a look that immediately told them he was angry, or at least in a bad mood, "Don't insult others like you are not stupid, weird, annoying, and the most noisy person in the world already."

"Hey, Erik," Matthias gave Erik the same puzzled look Tiino and Berwald gave him, "You don't need to be mad, okay? What I am saying is public secret. See? She _is _famous for being a scary and friendless girl—that's exactly the reason why she is now as always, enjoying her lunch _alone_."

"I'll never believe in that stupid "public secret" concept of yours before I learn it myself."

"Okay, then come over her sometimes," Matthias challenged indifferently, shrugging his shoulder and taking a sip from his soda, "And don't blame me if you get home with bruises all over your face."

Erik sighed. He decided that he was too sane, wise, and rational to argue further with his best friend whom he believed to be the stupidest person in the world.

Erik glanced toward the cafeteria corner once more.

What's wrong with being alone like that?

Erik often liked solitude much more than having to associate with gossip seeking people like this.

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Who knew that he really did what Matthias had challenged him few days before.

When lunch time came that day, Erik didn't get what made him pass by the usual table where all of his best friends had seated waiting for him. He just continued walking, ignoring their puzzled look and calls to him.

Erik bet that his friends' puzzled expression turned into more than surprise, when they saw him putting his meal tray on a table in the corner instead.

It turned out his best friends were not the only ones surprised by Erik's actions. The girl who had been sitting at that table raised her head and gave him a puzzled look.

"I am not going to ask your permission for me to sit here," Erik sighed, then sat at the chair opposite the girl, "This place is public—before you start complaining and telling me to get out of here."

The surprised expression immediately vanished and that pair of violet eyes turned back to their famous flat gaze.

Flat, with an expression that was as cold as her tone when she spoke to him, "Are you stupid or something that you can't even tell there are many unoccupied tables around here?"

"Well," Erik stirred his drink, "This table is a good choice, you see? It is near the window opposite the school garden, and it is near the cafeteria exit."

"I don't give a damn," Natalia spat with such tone and look that usually made even boys tremble and choose to run away rather than to have to deal with her, "Get out of here, bastard."

Erik gave her empty chuckle, "Such a pretty mouth, isn't it?" he said sarcastically, "You know, others are stereotyping you so much already—you don't want them to call you an ill mannered girl as well."

"Like I'd give a shit."

Erik didn't answer. He just looked at those violet eyes with his own flat gaze and pursed lips.

Those violet eyes which for the first time, he was able to see from such a near distance—though they looked so cold, lofty, piercing…

…Yet, still, they were a beautiful kind of violet.

"Just stop," Erik said softly without averting his calm gaze from Natalia's annoyed and puzzled one.

"The fuck are you saying—"

"Just stop making all these images for yourself intentionally," Erik couldn't help but say the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Natalia rolled her eyes, obviously feeling annoyed. She then sighed, "Whatever you're saying, bastard—"

"Because somehow, I believe you are not like what they think you are."

The second he had said that, Erik inwardly cursed himself and his stupid mouth for saying all of those words to her. However, it was at times like this, he felt so proud of his "_emotionless man" _title. He could always perfectly prove that title in his expression at times like this.

She looked like she didn't get it at first, but her expression changed when she snorted rather loudly, "And now you're acting as if you were my shadow who knew all about me?"

"We are neighbors, remember?" Erik said.

"Yeah, so?" Natalia challenged, "Does that give you any right to be a smartass and wise guy like this to me?"

Erik didn't get chance to open his mouth to reply, when suddenly and abruptly, Natalia stood up and stormed off after she growled at him, "I don't even know your name—don't dream I'd like to listen to stupid advices and kind attitudes from strangers like you."

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To be continued

Feedback, please? Your reviews will make me keep going and update faster! I'll be glad to read even your fangirling XD

Thanks!

-bergfrue-


	3. Part I-3

**Sorry for the late update. Thank you so much for CaraLee934, my dear beta reader! Also, I want to thank readers!**

**Well then, enjoy!**

:::::::::::::

**Hetalia Axis Powers © Hidekaz Himaruya**

This story's based on**, She Will Be Loved © Maroon 5**

And,

**Fall For You © Secondhand Serenade**

**Warning: **(Maybe) OoC (I'll try my best to make the characters as canon as possible), verbal abuse, _hints_ _slash_.

**Pairing: **LukasNatalia (NorwayBelarus), one-sided IvaNatalia, AmeBel, _slight _RussiaChina

**Note: **Erik Sørensen = Norway, Natalia Arlovskaya = Belarus, Ivan Braginski = Rusia, Alfred Jones = USA, Emil Steillson = Iceland, Matthias Kohler = Denmark, Tiino = Finland, Berwald = Sweden, Wang Yao = China, Katyusha = Ukraine.

**I gain no commercial advantage from publishing this fic.**

**::::::::::::**

From one of the outside corners of his house, Erik saw her again. It was not like he intentionally stayed there to watch her like a creepy stalker. It's just like repeated coincidences Erik didn't really know when it had started to happen: every time he went outside to throw the garbage away, he saw her.

There, standing right in front of her house gate.

This was not the first time Erik saw her like that. She was just standing, silently yet calmly, no matter how blazingly hot the sun was or how cold the wind blew. What or who she was waiting for, Erik didn't really know nor understand.

However, one thing Erik could clearly see was that the expression of that pale face was not happy.

It was as if she was waiting for something.

Something she was waiting for a long time. Something that made her stay there despite the wind or dust, day or night.

Something that seemed so hard for her to get or reach.

Erik had always want to go and ask her, but as he saw her for the umpteenth time, he just kept standing and did nothing else.

He always just stood and watched silently, until she sighed and her eyes turned downcast, before she turned and walking toward her house.

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"We are partners."

That voice with a tone as impassive as the gaze from those dull blue eyes was heard as Erik took his seat right in front of Natalia who glared at him automatically the second she saw the blond right in front of her.

"I don't remember that I ever agreed to do anything with you—including this stupid working partner," Natalia hissed harshly and narrowed her eyes.

Erik looked as if he was deep in thought, then he raised one of his eyebrows while looking at her, "Have we met before? Or in a previous life?"

"Has your brain been damaged or is that brain itself nonexistent for you to say such nonsense?" Natalia replied without reducing the venom from either her voice or the way she looked at him.

"It is because we haven't even met or interacted with each other that often and yet you always looked pissed at me," Erik said calmly, ignoring her insults.

"Who the hell wouldn't be if there is some stranger suddenly coming to you and pretending like he is your best friend from childhood?"

"Well, Miss, I came here to you just to help," Erik added. This time, there was some kind of disapproving look in his eyes, "All of them already have their own partners for this assignment, and you don't even—"

Her eyes narrowed further and her voice sounded more annoyed, "Are you telling me I am so pathetic that you have to go do some good deed like this for me?"

Erik shrugged slightly, "No—but I think that, whatever my explanation is, you will not believe nor listen to it," he sighed, opening his book to start doing the assignment, "Furthermore I don't have a partner either."

"I don't need your damn sympathy, Saint. Now go—"

"I told you, I don't have a partner."

"Then you could always just do this by yourself—"

"And I have already written your name and mine as partners and given it to the teacher—" he stopped talking abruptly and hissed as he felt a sudden pain in one of his feet under the table.

Natalia had just stomped on it.

"How dare you…," she hissed, glaring at him with narrowed eyes. Her hands turned into fists with her strong attempt to contain her anger, "I don't even know you. Why the hell can't you just live your own life and stop being a pain in the ass?"

After placing his chair at a distance where her foot couldn't reach him again, he replied with his ever calm voice, "How about we start working now and pretend I am not even here? Let's say… we just do it individually but we write the results on behalf both of our names? Without interaction, without collective work or whatever it is other normal groups will be doing?"

"Y-you…," she wanted to say something—most likely other insults or curses. But it didn't happen and she just sighed loudly while opening her own book harshly.

Finally, they started working individually of course. Letting the silent atmosphere hang heavily in air above them.

"I am Erik Sørensen, your neighbor next door, your classmate," he said in a monotone voice after a while, without averting his gaze from the book he was reading, "So I am not really a stranger, Miss."

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That evening, Erik found himself once again standing in a corner outside his house, looking at Natalia who was also once again standing there in front of her house gate.

Just like before, she was just standing there. The sun almost set and the cold afternoon breeze blew softly.

History repeated itself as he did nothing but stand and watch. Just like before, he finally had to watch her sigh then leave the scene at last.

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"Natalia. Please, please give me a moment of your time and listen to me!"

As he heard the name which had been recently occupying his thoughts, Erik slowed down his steps at the end of one of the school corridors on his way back to class from the toilet. That voice he just heard had him surprised and curious and he felt he had to put his need to go back to class aside for awhile.

He couldn't help his curiosity, because in his opinion, the fact that there was someone bravely approaching and begging her was surprising enough. Natalia being with other person other than her brother was not a common sight. Yet, she was with someone else then? Someone calling her name? Someone begging her to stay?

Erik could easily tell the voice didn't come from Ivan, Natalia's brother who was his senior, in the same year as Berwald.

Pressing his back against the corridor wall, Erik turned his head and peeked to see who had been the source of the voice.

It was a boy with sand-colored hair and glasses covering a pair of clear blue eyes. With just a glance, Erik immediately recognized him as one of the school icons—famous for his happy-go-lucky behavior, self-proclaimed heroism, and an habit of sticking his nose into others' business.

Alfred Jones.

"I am more than willing to twist your stupid hand and crush your damn bones if you don't let go of my hand this second," her snarl sounded so harsh and low, yet Erik was still able to hear it clearly in this quiet corridor since lecturing period was still taking place.

Unconsciously, Erik was getting more and more surprised and curious of both Alfred's boldness to be in such a close vicinity to her and the way he held her arm firmly.

For some reason, Erik began to dislike the view.

"You are not going to give me chance to explain, aren't you—I am not letting you go," Alfred insisted in a stern voice and from this distance, Erik noticed his grip on her arm getting tighter.

"You are asking for your death here, Jones?" Natalia spat harshly, "Just shut up and go the hell away because I don't want to deal with you anymore, bastard!"

"You can't make me, Natalia," Alfred said, softening his gaze and voice to her—even though that did nothing to the cold and annoyed gaze directed at him from the girl, "Listen, I love you and I—"

The slap sounded so sudden, hard, harsh, and loud in the silent corridor at that time.

Erik opened his mouth very slightly because of the new surprise he just got. Natalia narrowed her eyes even more. While Alfred stood there emotionless, with flat expression that was rare for him—as if he had expected the hard slap to come earlier.

"Don't you dare say such disgusting words to me, bastard!" she hissed and gave Alfred an hateful look.

Erik instinctively turned his head away and pressed back against the wall, hiding himself when Natalia turned and started walking in his direction—toward the corridor where he was.

She had not taken her sixth step when suddenly Alfred spoke.

His voice sounded so broken, full of hurt and unavoidable desperation, "Is it that hard for you to forget and give up your hope for Ivan?"

Unfortunately, his question never got an answer or any response, because Natalia just kept walking and getting further and further away from him.

Further away from Erik, who had been there watching silently, standing at the corridor intersection she had just passed.

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For the few next days, Erik couldn't seem to take his mind off two people: Ivan and Natalia, whether he was at home or school, no matter if he was with anyone or alone secretly taking a glance at Natalia. God—it felt like there was not a second that passed without strong feelings of anxiety.

About Natalia—about the life of the girl who was his neighbor next door, his classmate. Yet, at the same time, she seemed like a person with so many secrets Erik would never understand nor even know about.

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It was not like Erik never saw Ivan Braginski. Once in awhile, he spotted him in school, and occasionally he had also seen him in Ivan's own house—though that happened only in times when the tall guy was walking toward or out of his house.

Despite the nearly nonexistent relationship between them, Erik knew one or two things about Ivan. The violet-eyed guy who was Erik' one year higher senior at school, would always show expression totally opposite of his sister's. Ivan would always smile at people. He often laughed a laugh that sounded so hearty and kindly. Yet, there was just one thing that made him undoubtedly related to Natalia: both of them could emanate such a creepy and intimidating aura whenever and to whomever they wished.

In spite of his supposedly close relationship with his sister, Erik couldn't recall many times when he saw the young man anywhere near Natalia at school—at least, not without him looking so forced and wanted to run away. Whatever might have happened between them, Erik thought for sure that Ivan always wanted to spend as little as possible his time with his sister. He seemed to want to get away from her, always desperately come up with excuses to go. Furthermore, Erik swore that he had once seen Ivan trembling and stuttering in front of his sister.

At home, it was not really any different. Erik had seen him only on two occasions: when the young man crossed the front yard of his house, coming back home from only-Ivan-and-God-know-where, and when Ivan tried to pry a persistent Natalia off of him while his sister attempted to convinced him to stay or allow her to come along.

That's all there was to it.

Erik didn't really know much about his neighbors—Ivan and Natalia.

He only knew that Ivan is Natalia's big brother. He _believed _Ivan was her loved big brother.

That's why Erik couldn't get his mind to discover any logic in what Alfred had said a few days ago. No matter how hard he tried to understand, he failed.

Why did Natalia see Ivan as more than a big brother?

"Minding others' business like this does nothing but waste my time," he mumbled quietly and sighed before throwing himself on his bed.

He stared at the ceiling and it took just few seconds for his mind to drift back to what he had been thinking.

Well, no matter how un-Erik-like this was, it seemed like he couldn't stop thinking about it.

::::::::::::

To be continued

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	4. Part II-1

Hetalia (c) Hidekaz Himaruya

* * *

That evening he saw her standing in front of her gate again, he decided that it was then or never.

He stepped out from the corner of his house — the usual place for the past few days where he had spent his time just standing and looking at her. He walked straight through his own garden gate and onto the road.

Just as he got within a few meters from Natalia, she suddenly turned her head and shot him with her vicious glare. The girl had to have a good instinct, he concluded. Unfortunately for Natalia, Erik was never one to be intimidated by that infamous gaze — before him realising it, Erik was already used to finding himself being the one her glares would most often be directed at.

Once he was just a short distance away from her, he stopped and stretched one of his hands out, offering one of the two cups he had brought out. However, she didn't even give a slight glance to the cup of hot chocolate with warm smoke swirling up from it. Natalia just maintained her cold glare at Erik, as if she was daring him to talk quickly about whatever the hell it was he needed and then leave her alone.

"Aren't you going to take it?" he asked, holding out the cup further to her, "The day is getting dark and chilly."

Natalia looked away, but that didn't mean her obvious discomfort and dislike to him diminished, "Leave me alone."

"I am simply trying to be a good neighbour here, offering hot chocolate to his neighbour who has been outside freezing herself in the middle of this chilly fall weather," he responded flatly.

"I don't recall I have ever had a damn thought of having a good-and-happy neighbouring relationship with you," she snorted, "How many times do I have to tell you to stop concerning yourself about me like you are some sort of saint?"

"Maybe if you think about putting an end to your act as if you are a person regretting her own existence and deserves others staying away from," he replied, although the second he finished speaking, Natalia turned her head to him and flashed him such a glare way more vicious than before.

"I lost count how many times I've told you this: stop pretending like you'd give a damn about me, Bast—"

Her sentence was never finished because Erik, rather sternly yet carefully, held out and pressed the rim of the cup to her lips. Out of reflex, she tried to step backwards, raising her hand to ward off the offending object before it could spill a drop. The hotness of the cup felt on her lips made her open her mouth out of reflex. That was when some of the liquid pouring into her mouth and travelled down her throat.

She felt it then.

It felt…

So warm.

Erik released his grip off the cup, "I would hope you give the cup back once you're done — but it's not like you would ever do it," he shrugged nonchalantly. He turned away then looked at her over his shoulder, "Keep or dispose it—you choose," he added before he started walking back home, sipping calmly at his own cup of chocolate.

When the warm liquid was pouring down his throat, he couldn't really tell whether the liquid was the sole reason for the warm feeling he had inside.

::::::::::::

As the days passed, Natalia looked more and more pissed at the fact that Erik purposely always chose to sit right beside her more often in every class they attended.

She knew she should not be bothered by it because he had rarely talked to her during class though. But still…

Meanwhile, during all those lessons, Erik was busy with scolding himself mentally to focus on the lecturing and stop stealing glances at her direction once in a while.

::::::::::::

One day, when Erik had just put his lunch tray on a certain table—at the very corner, facing the school garden and near the exit, his gaze immediately spotted that Natalia had stopped halfway toward the same destination.

She stared at him just for a short moment, before she without a word put her tray on a random table closest to her.

She turned abruptly and made her way toward the exit, totally forgetting her lunch.

::::::::::::

That Monday, Erik forced himself to come to Church with Tino — honestly speaking, Erik wasn't really the religious type. There were times when he even questioned God's existence. However, he couldn't help it when Tino almost begged him to come with him, seeing as Berwald who was his usual company had gone out elsewhere earlier that day.

On his way back to his house, Erik spotted Natalia in front of her gate, as per usual.

Only this time, she was not alone.

There he was with her again—that blond boy with clear brilliant eyes behind pair of glasses, Alfred Jones.

Whatever they were talking about, Erik couldn't make it out clearly. Yet, judging by Natalia's exasperated and Alfred's begging expression, Erik could tell that they were having an heated argument—the blond boy was begging her for something, and Natalia looked as if she wanted nothing else in the world but being as far away as she could from the boy.

Suddenly, Natalia noticed his presence and turned her head toward Erik' direction. The girl turned her glare back to Alfred promptly, before she made a turn and started walking straight towards Erik; who still didn't get what was going on.

While Erik looked unsure and confused, Natalia kept walking straight up to him. Her steps were quick and determined. Expression unchanged on her beautiful face — still glaring at him.

Erik inwardly questioned himself why he was seemingly being dragged into their fight.

"Hey—" he began but never had chance to finish, as she grabbed his coat's collar and pulled him closer harshly. In his surprise she caught him off guard and his eyes widened. He opened his mouth to ask a question, but the second her lips pressed to his, his words were once more lost.

The kiss was short and quick. Furthermore, it was just a slight peck, just a brief touch of his lips and hers.

Yet, in that short time Erik was certain that his brain stopped working for few seconds and his heart skipped a beat.

Natalia quickly distanced her head from his and then turned to Alfred who was still standing where she had left him.

Alfred, whose expression was that of someone who had just found one of his worst nightmares had become reality.

"You see? I am with him now. So, don't bother coming or talking to me anymore."

::::::::::::

For the next few days after that unexpected "event", Erik had been feeling frustrated with himself who felt like crazy.

He was never be a naïve person. Of course he was not really too oblivious to understand all of it. That was why, no matter how often the kiss had been the center of his thoughts at nights recently, he knew really well that that was nothing more but fake.

The kiss was just a façade Natalia had put to shield Alfred Jone's from the very truth.

Just a façade.

Nothing more to it.

::::::::::::

Nothing changed much after 'that' day, but Erik began to think that everything was getting worse, although he knew he shouldn't be thinking like that.

From the very beginning, he was well aware that the way she looked and spoke to him showed nothing but how much she hated everything he did or said.

However, things got worse and worse. She no longer bother to even give a slight glance his way, let alone shot her glares or snapped at him like she had done before.

They were classmates and neighbors, but even so they were now as good as total strangers to each other.

Once again, Erik realized he shouldn't feel like this. He knew that they were not getting any closer.  
They were never friends—that title was too special to be appropriate to describe the relationship between two people who hardly greeted each other. The most common thing they had ever done together was arguing and throwing insults, though the later was done mostly one-sidedly.

So, because of that nearly non-existent relationship, Natalia changing how she treated him shouldn't be a problem to him, should it?

All his life, Erik had lived the life adhering to individualistic values. He was always sure of himself and of what he did by his own. He couldn't let himself be dependant on something or someone. However, for some reasons Erik couldn't grasp, he had been feeling that recently there was a hole in his heart. Small, but beginning to take its shape and grow.

An hole called remorse and loss.

::::::::::::

"I don't want to see or hear anything about you being near that Vietnamese girl. Do you hear me? I. don't. want. to."

It didn't occur to Erik that his decision to take the alternative route by outdoor football field to go home that day, would lead him to find his two neighbours standing on the side of the field. Not that he meant to be rude but he believed it was no use to try to deal with her anymore, so he planned to walk on by and ignore them both. But as he came closer he couldn't help but notice the crystal-clear liquid dripping down her cheek.

Almost instantly, he felt as if time had stopped.

When it began to tick again, he could feel that there was something broken inside of him. For the first time, he felt like all the oxygen in his surrounding had been taken away.

It was suffocating.

"What does it have to do with you, Natalia?" Ivan's voice sounded like he was puzzled and couldn't believe what he had just heard, "You have no rights to tell me whom I shall make friends with."

"'Friend'?" her eyes narrowed, obviously she was doing her best not to let any more tears fall down her face, "I know the truth. Stop pretending like you and her are really friends—you guys are dating!"

"Nat—"

"How could you do this to me, Big Brother?!" she raised her voice slightly, "Haven't I told you over and over again that I never like seeing you with her."

"Natalia—"

"You. Have. To. Stay. Away. From. Her!" she insisted firmly and narrowed her eyes even more, "If you don't, I will do something horrible to her. I swear—"

"Listen, Natalia!" his stern growl was heard at the same time with his index finger raised right in front of her nose, "You have no rights whatsoever to tell me how to live my own life. And I warn you not to harm her. Don't ever think that just because you are my sister, I will simply stay back if you hurt her. Do you understand?"

Everything ended when Natalia kept silent and didn't respond.

She didn't do anything—except for her slightly widening violet eyes and slightly opened mouth.

And slowly, another crystal-like drop falling down her cheek.

Just a few little signs, but all of it was enough to make anyone who saw it certain what was going on inside her.

Horrible — everything about it was horrible.

Even Erik couldn't help but feel awful. He'd been unable to move, watching them from a safe distance. He stayed still as he watched Ivan walk away with determined steps, leaving Natalia all alone.

Without him really knowing it, Erik began walking again. He just knew he was taking his steps, coming closer to her. Somehow, he didn't care about anything, including the possibility of Natalia snapping at or even slapping him.

He didn't care in the slightest about that.

When he was right beside her, there was nothing to be said. He didn't quite know what to say. Because all this time, no matter what he said, it had always just made her mad and pissed, even when her mood was so much better than this.

So he stayed silent for being afraid he might make it worse if he dared to speak.

Instead he just took off the red-blood scarf he was wearing around his neck and draped it over her head. The scarf covered her platinum hair just like a veil, hiding almost half of her face from anyone and anything.

It was a simple gesture, but he just hoped that nobody would be able to see her in such a state. Nobody would see how those droplets run down her face. Nobody would know how much she looked so broken and hurt.

Nobody would ever know all of that coming from the girl who was known for her cold and strong demeanour.

Just that, before then he turned and left.

::::::::::::

The next day, Erik found there was something red hanging off his locker's handle which after close observation was his red-blood scarf.

He stared at it for a moment then sighed and wrapped it around his neck.

Well, at least she didn't throw away his scarf.

.see you next chap.


End file.
